978-1-4222-3398-6

A fully trained paramedic is like an emergency room on wheels. They can give shots of medicine, start IVs (tubes that provide medicine and other fluid), put in a breathing tube, and other advanced types of care. One way to describe the difference between an EMT and a paramedic is that EMTs cannot break a person’s skin. That is, they can’t start IVs or give injections, while a paramedic can. First Steps Like most students looking at jobs with special skills, future EMTs and paramedics have to attend classes. After applying to a school or business that provides the classes, they hit the books! To be- come an EMT, you need about 150 hours of work in the classroom and another 10–20 hours learn- ing in the field. In the classes and coursework, EMTs learn basic life support. That teaches them how to make sure a patient is breathing and has a steady pulse. They learn how to dress wounds quickly to

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